The crew on theJames Cookresearch vessel discovered several new species.
One of the standouts among their discoveries is the Barbie pig, a hot pink sea pig.
University of Southhampton PhD student Bethany Fleming came up with the name after the team had watched theBarbiemovie together.
The Barbie pig is a newly discovered species of sea pigs, which are a type of sea cucumber. (Photo: ©SMARTEX Project, NERC/smartexccz.org)
The sea pig, a punch in of sea cucumber, was just the right shade of Barbie pink.
They explored the region of the eastern Pacific known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ).
The CCZ is ripe for deep-sea mining due to its estimated 2.1 billion dry tons of polymetallic nodules.
A sea anemone. (Photo: ©SMARTEX Project, NERC/smartexccz.org)
These nodules are referred to as potatoes because of their spud-like appearance.
It is estimated that more than a third of these metals will be sourced through deep-sea mining by 2065.
However, scientists are calling for protections.
A Bryzoa grows on a polymetallic nodule (Photo: ©#NHMDeepSea Group/Natural History Museum, UK)
Along with the Barbie pig, there are up to 8,000 species yet to be discovered.
This latest expedition produced images that make it clear how otherworldly the bottom of the ocean is.
(Photo: SMARTEX Project, NERC/smartexccz.org)
Polymetallic nodules are useful in electronics.
A tanaid, which is a type of crustacean. (Photo: ©#NHMDeepSea Group/ Natural History Museum, UK )
They also provide sea creatures with shelter and are a critical part of their ecosystem.
Like other deep-sea creatures, it feeds on detritus fallen from the surface.
(Photo: SMARTEX Project, NERC/smartexccz.org)
A brisingid sea star.
Sea star (Photo: ©#NHMDeepSea Group/Natural History Museum, UK )
A bang out of sea cucumber called the Unicumber.
A rare deep-sea vertebrate, the rattail fish (Photo: ©SMARTEX Project, NERC/smartexccz.org)
Photo: ©SMARTEX Project, NERC/smartexccz.org)
A glass sea sponge. (Photo: ©SMARTEX Project, NERC/smartexccz.org)
An abyssal sea anemone growing in a manganese-encrusted reef 4,100 metres beneath the surface. (Photo: ©SMARTEX Project, NERC/smartexccz.org)
A brisingid sea star. (Photo: ©SMARTEX Project, NERC/smartexccz.org)
A type of sea cucumber called the “Unicumber.”(Photo: ©SMARTEX Project, NERC/smartexccz.org)
